Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1887-01-07
Dakota In 1887.

+tottuNCSb NtaSaH!lc ItlROLl is now
the only region east of the Rocky Noun
tains where large areas of fertile land
adapted TO general farming without
irrigation arc still open to homestead set,
Element, Kansas and Nebraska are pretty
well occupied as far west as farming can
be carried on with certainty Of sufficient
rainfall TO produce crops. So is Texas.
lpdccd, in SONS parts of those states set
tlemcnt has gone beyond the line Of
safety from drought and has been COM
PEELED to draw back. To Dakota alone
cap the emigrant now 20 with the cer-
tainty of finding a free farm, unless he
pushes on beyond the continental divide
to tho plains of eastern Washington or
engages in irrigated farming in Montana.
Dakota must of necessity receive a large
immigration this year. It is close to the
cities and markets of the older West. is
easily and cAeaply reached by settlers
and is penetrated in all of Its great area
by railroads. A few items of information
concerning this rapidly developing Ter.
ritory will be of interest to many of our
Eastern readers,
The winters are long and eold-a fact
there is no use of overlooking. The
ground is covered with snow, as a rule,
from the first of December to the middle
of March. Every vehicle, except railway
cars and engines, goes upon runners,
The dry air makes the cold not only en-
durable, but positively cXhlaratng.
There is very little sickness in winter
People are ont of doors more than IN the
East, where the damp cold weather is
much more disagrecable, Thick clothing
is worn, and men who are out driving
much wear fur coats and caps.
The summers are warm but breezy, and
the same quality of dryncss in the air
which lessons the effect of low lcmpera
lures makes the heat far less oppressive
than in regions where the atmosphere
carries considerable moisture. Spring
comes with bound, and plowing begins
as soon rs the frost is out of tho ground
deep enough to put In the plowsAarc
Crops grow and mature rapidly.
The native growth Of grasses is luxu-
RANT. and on low ground an abundance
of hay can be cut from natural meadows
Stock-raisipg is profitable IN connection
with general farming, A great deal of
money has been made from wheat
growing, and wheat is still the great sta
pie crop; but prices have been so low for
the past two years that many farmers
have realized the wisdom of diversifying
their crops and keeping cattle and sheep.
Dakota will always, however, be mainly
wheat country, for two reasons: First,
the fact that what is known as mo.
/ Hard (the highest priced wheat grown)
can only be produced successfully III that
Territory and in the adjacent portions of
Minnesota and Manitoba; and, Second,
because of tho comparative nearness of
the Dakota wheat regions to water trans
portation at Duluth,
The farmers working season is fully as
long as it is in Illinois or Ohio, by reason
of the fact THAT there is hardly any raw,
sloppy and disagrccable weather in spring
or fall, Taking one year with another,
the farmer can count on seven months
for his outdoor operations and five for
rest and sociability, The care of stock be-
ing about the only winter labor required
The one great, conspicuous advantage
Dakota offers to 1mmirrnnfS fs n w idp
range of choice of good lands and the
opportunity to begin farming with small
capital and work up in few years to a
position of independence. The poor man
who in the East must always remain a
hired laborer or renter of others land
can become his own master and his own
landlord, and the small farmer can begin
life anew with means enough to own a
large tract and to prosper as he could
never hope to do IN his old home.